Yes we have tried to simulate the problem. The only time we have is when the USB drive has had other info on the drive and the unit's formatting is really only for new drives that have nothing on them.On the odd occasion you will even get new drives that have 2 partitions on it for rescue etc... Please check using your PC how many partitions on the drive and use the GUI format once all partitions removed.

BraaiGuy: OK after reformatting things are looking much better. Will record some FULL HD shows to double check but so far it looks to me like this was the source of the problem.

I did have a couple of other things in a separate folder on the drive. Movies and some mp3's for the kids.

Which tool did you use to do the reformatting? Did you use the format function of the STB? Or the "GUI" formatting too?

By the way, do you have the URL of that GUI tool?

So, you think the source of the problem was that you had some other stuff on the drive? Mine was not the case, I started with an empty FAT32 partition and still hit that problem.

Cheers!

I reformatted it via the system. Did not use that GUI tool. Originally the drive was partitioned with a freeware program swissknife. This is free and you can download it. What program did u use to create the partition? Or was the Fat32 partition always on your drive?

BraaiGuy: OK after reformatting things are looking much better. Will record some FULL HD shows to double check but so far it looks to me like this was the source of the problem.

I did have a couple of other things in a?separate?folder on the drive. Movies and some mp3's for the kids.?

Which tool did you use to do the reformatting?? Did you use the format function of the STB?? Or the "GUI" formatting too?

By the way, do you have the URL of that GUI tool?

So, you think the source of the problem was that you had some other stuff on the drive?? Mine was not the case, I started with an empty FAT32 partition and still hit that problem.

Cheers!

I?reformatted?it via the system. Did not use that GUI tool. Originally the drive was partitioned with a freeware program swissknife. This is free and you can download it. What program did u use to create the partition? Or was the Fat32 partition always on your drive??

I used Windows 7 pro 64 to create one primary partition, then used a tool called fat32format.exe to format it. After I experienced the problem, I reformatted it using the STB.

however, the problem never go away.

You said you tried to records Bones, how long was it and how big was the file size?

Thought I'd chip in and let you know that I also had the same problems with my recordings on the DishTV, to the point I have stopped using it. I was using a 2.5 inch drive and had put the problems down to that, but seems like it might not be the case.

froob: Thought I'd chip in and let you know that I also had the same problems with my recordings on the DishTV, to the point I have stopped using it. I was using a 2.5 inch drive and had put the problems down to that, but seems like it might not be the case.

I would recommend you to log a fault with them. Honestly, I don't know how much testing they have done with the product.

I remember trying so many things to identify the problem. E.g. I was using Linux to define the partition in VFAT format (I think it is the same as FAT32 in windows) and define the partition by sectors instead of cylinders. It did not work.

So, I used Windows to define the partition instead, because I think the Dish box might have problem identifying partitions defined in sectors.

It did not work.

Then I think may be because the box has problem to wake up the Western Digital hard drive, so i tried to record two programmes in a row and see whether the second progrma's play back will be better.

Did not work.

Then I think a 2TB partition may be too big and causing problems, so I define one 1TB partition instead.

Did not work.

So on and so forth.

Unfortunately, I cannot raise a fault with them now because I have returned the STB and the hard disk.

So if you can raise a fault to them, hopefully they will realise it is a common/widespread fault.